What is rehabilitation care?

Fonthill House - Hertfordshire

Rehabilitation care is specialised care that can be provided by a care home to help a resident to regain mental, physical and /or cognitive abilities that have been lost or have declined after surgery, treatment, injury or disease. The aim is for the person to be able to live in a normal or near-normal way, with an optimal level of functioning. Ultimately, the care ensures that the resident regains their sense of independence. Rehabilitation care also teaches and helps the resident to adapt to any lifestyle changes.

During rehabilitation care, the resident might need to use a range of services which include:

Mental health support

Occupational therapy

Speech and language therapy

Physical therapy

Cognitive therapy

Vocational therapy

Who is rehabilitative care for?

Rehabilitative care is for anyone who needs to recover after injury or illness. Some patients are discharged from hospital needing support that they might not have needed before and so a short-term stay in a care home can help them. Rehabilitation care provides support at different levels until the patient has recovered and is independent.

Rehabilitative care is for those who:

Have the potential for improvement in their health and abilities

No longer need an acute level of care but need to be in a residential care home

Need care available on a 24/7 basis

Are willing and able to participate in a programme designed for their rehabilitation

Who provides the care?

A holistic approach to rehabilitation care is crucial — it takes a variety of specialists to work as a team. These include physical therapists, doctors, occupational therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, recreational therapists, nurses and speech therapists.

When multiple types of therapy are needed under supervision, then a short-term stay in a residential care home is the safest way to a faster recovery.

This large team will help you return to normal aspects of life such as work, parenting, and everyday activities. They may suggest using adaptive tools or new ways of doing things.

The importance of motivating goals

It is crucial that the rehabilitation team understand the patient’s perspective so that they can tailor the goals to motivate them. The goal of rehabilitation therapy varies from person to person. If the goals don’t motivate the patient, then they will not be engaged in the recovery plan and will not improve as much as they have the potential to.

If the patient stays in hospital, there is little opportunity for them to be independent and do things for themselves and so they can lose confidence in their abilities. This creates a snowball effect, as the patient then loses muscle strength and willpower and can further deteriorate. A residential care home provides a safe place where residents can be as independent as they are able.

Research has shown that immediate rehabilitation — as soon as a person becomes unwell — improves rehabilitation results.

Rehabilitation at Fonthill House

You can receive rehabilitation during a short-term stay at Fonthill House where you will receive the support of a full rehabilitation team. An individual programme will be developed for you, along with nutritious meals provided and 24/7 care. There are also activities organised such as film nights, printmaking and live music to help you socialise when you feel like it. Call us on 01727 532001 if you would like to know more.